This manual is the outcome of a one-year study of police action to divert youthful offenders from the juvenile justice system, an action advocated by every major commission examining the system since the early sixties. The manual is intended to guide police, social service agencies, and other concerned individuals and organizations through the diversion process. The reader is introduced to the historical basis for handling juvenile delinquents and to the recent push for alternatives; in this context the manual offers a rationale and definition of diversion and a description of the process with criteria for determining whether a youth is a suitable candidate for diversion. The manual also discusses such issues as protection of due process rights, record keeping, and implications of diversion for the juvenile justice system. The last section of the manual describes the operation and funding of juvenile diversion programs, and appendices contain information about existing programs in the United States. (Author/CS)